WouldBe Savior
by YappiChick
Summary: Fate didn't have plans for Mally to be Tarrant's savior. Mally/Tarrant friendship. Pre-movie. Written for the manniness challenge.


Author's notes: Written for the **manniness** challenge (as I call it). This takes place before the movie and references Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.

* * *

She didn't save the Hatter from the Red Queen.

When they had all been dragged to the Queen's court -in the middle of tea, no less! - Mally saw no reason to rush to the Hatter's defense. He clearly had everything under control on the witness stand, though Mally did think it was odd that he found it necessary to keep repeating himself.

At least she thought he kept repeating himself. By that point in the trial, after being nearly crushed by Alice -hmph, Alice! - she found herself dozing in and out of sleep.

Really, the Red Queen should have considered throwing a tea party instead of insisting on having those insipid trials that inevitably ended with her shouting, "Off with his head!"

Mally wasn't worried about the Hatter losing his head. He was quite fond of it, after all. It was the only was he could properly drink tea.

As expected, the Hatter, pulling the Hare and Mally with him, managed to escape the Queen and her card guards. They run through the castle gates and hadn't stopped running until they reached Thackery's windmill.

At least they hadn't missed afternoon tea, Mally thought sleepily.

o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

She couldn't save Tarrant from the Jabberwocky.

Things had changed considerably since the day when Alice -that odd little girl! - had disrupted the Queen's court. They were worse. Much worse.

The days of lazy tea times and naps in the middle of the day -and afternoon and evening - had disappeared quicker than the Cheshire Cat when he heard the unmistakable footsteps of the Knave approaching. No, Mally hadn't had a proper nap -or good night's sleep for that matter- since the day Alice had left Underland.

Everyone tried to live their life as normal. Mirana acted as if though her sister's increasing power was no threat to those in Underland. The Tweedle boys kept arguing about the most ridiculous things. Chess lazily smiled, not seeming to be the least bit bothered by the political issues surrounding them. The Hightopps, despite the increasing Darkness that was settling over Underland, insisted on inviting the White Queen to the Tywyth as they did every year.

Mally had given Tarrant an earful of what she thought of that idea!

With an optimistic pat on her head, Tarrant assured her that everything was fine and told her to enjoy the piece of Lafriden cheese he had gotten for her. With a huff, she did as he asked and took her cheese to the outskirts of the village.

It didn't take long for the Jabberwocky to arrive.

He was vile and terrible, made from the undreamed nightmares of Underland, Mally assumed.

She threw down the piece of cheese and ran through the fields of Ipalm, yelling and trying to warn the Hightopp clan about their impending doom. But, only being armed with her mouse-sized voice, her words mostly were unheard.

It didn't matter though. The Jabberwocky viciously destroyed everything in its path. Mally tried desperately to find Tarrant, to save him from the wrath of the beast. As she ran between the feet of the Outlanders, trying to flee with their lives, she overheard one of Tarrant's kinsmen shouting that he had taken the White Queen to safety.

Later, much later, Mally found Tarrant standing in the middle of the ruins of his village. He aged many centuries that day. "I couldn't save them, Mally," he whispered, ashamed and broken.

She scurried up his body and sat on his shoulder, leaning against his neck.

And I couldn't save you from this Fate worse than death, she thought bitterly.

o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o

She wouldn't save Tarrant (and Underland).

Things had changed considerably since the day when the Red Queen - that wicked woman! - had unleashed the Jabberwocky on the unsuspecting Hightopps. They were different. Much different.

Sleep had become a forgotten pastime as Mally focused on learning how to fight - to defend! - against the enemies that seemed to be growing daily. Tarrant, with his broken spirit and a half-hearted effort, guided her through the fighting moves she wanted to learn. It was only because of Mally's insistence and persistence along with a healthy dollop of impatience that he agreed to train her.

After weeks, months, years! of training, Mally had become quite proficient with the hatpin. It had already claimed its first victim, that wretched Knave of Hearts. Mally only wished she could have poked out his second eye as well.

She showed the prize to Tarrant with a puff of pride and satisfaction. As she watch him look at the eye, sitting prominently on the middle of the tea table, there was a glimmer of hope, a gleam of faith, on his face.

She was ready to save him. And the rest of Underland.

Fate, however, had other plans.

Absolem had called a meeting with a handful of Underlandians who remained loyal to Mirana. In front of him, the Oraculum sat. He had given them each a stern look and explained that things were going to change for the better and the reign of the Red Queen would soon be over.

"There will be one who will save us all. She is not the be underestimated. Her stature may be small, but her Muchness is great," he proclaimed.

Mally felt her chest swell as the gazes of those around her - all males! - focused on her. Yes! She would gladly save Tarrant -and Underland- from the Red Queen!

But then, the caterpillar unrolled the Oraculum.

Mally squeaked.

She was not going to save Tarrant.

No, Alice -that bratty little girl that spurred the Red Queen's spiral into madness - was going to be the one who was going to save Underland. And Tarrant.

As the others started making plans -Nivens would go to Overland and start looking for the Alice while Absolem would keep the Oraculum safe - Mally knew she couldn't -wouldn't! - help them bring the Alice here.

Alice didn't suffer the way they had! Alice didn't train she had! Alice didn't know how broken Tarrant was! Alice didn't want to save him!

But Mally did. She had trained to be ready to save him, to protect him from the trials and the tribulations that Fate was prepared to throw his way.

But that didn't matter.

Fate had spoken.

Alice would be Underland's -and Tarrant's - savior.

And there was nothing she could do about it.


End file.
